Boltprospects staff member Chad Schnarr has learned from the Tampa Bay Lightning that neither they nor Nikita Alexeev's agent knows about his reported signing with Avangard Omsk. Both parties are awaiting official confirmation of the signing. The question now becomes: Did Nikita Alexeev sign a contract with Omsk without an agent?
Also, Boltprospects has learned that despite overtures from the Lightning Matt Smaby has decided to stay in school at North Dakota.

Russianprospects.com is reporting [url=http://www.russianprospects.com/public/tournament.php?tour_id=2006011&anchor=Main]Nikita Alexeev has signed a one-year deal with Russian Superleague club Avangard Omsk.[/url] Alexeev had been training with Omsk under a tryout contract for the last month but the Lightning have extended a qualifying offer to Nikita and it appeared he would be returning to North America this season. However, with Alexeev signing a deal in Russia it may be fair to speculate if Alexeev doesn't win an NHL spot out of camp he may bolt North America rather than play another season in the AHL. Story developing.

Boltprospects has learned that, true to speculation, the Tampa Bay Lightning do intend to extend 2005 6th round pick Marek Kvapil a contract offer.
Kvapil, who turned 20 in January, is a talented Czech forward who put up solid numbers on a woeful Saginaw team in the OHL this season. Expect him to be given every opportunity to make the Springfield Falcons given the team's unfortunate lack of speed and skill up front last season.

Erik Erlensson of the Tribune [url=http://sports.tbo.com/sports/MGBGE7D5UBE.html]suggests the Lightning may move to sign some of their college prospects like Matt Smaby, Brady Greco and Jay Rosehill [/url]to build up their minor league depth at the position. Lightning GM Jay Feaster has made it known he thinks the NCAA ranks are too soft for his taste and [url=http://www.nhl.com/futures/features/prospects_tam040705.html]hinted strongly to NHL.com a Smaby signing may be in the offing.[/url] When Andreas Holmqvist's return to Linkopings in Sweden freed up a roster spot in Springfield it all but sealed the deal that the Lightning would attempt to get Smaby to go pro.

As expected, [url=http://www.tampabaylightning.com/prdetail.cfm?pressreleaseID=1099&category=3]the Lightning have announced the signing of G Jonathan Boutin and LW/C Zbynek Hrdel to three year standard entry level deals.[/url]
Boutin will now battle with [url=http://www.boltprospects.com/node/145]yesterday's signee Gerald Coleman[/url] to see which prospect be next in line behind Brian Eklund. Hrdel adds some desperately needed potential scoring punch to a Lightning organization which is extremely threadbare for skill at the forward position at the minor and junior level.

[url=http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/3833156] The Associated Press and FoxSports.com are reporting the Lightning have signed prospect goaltender Gerald Coleman [/url] to a standard three year entry-level contract.
The Lightning have yet to issue a press release on Coleman's signing. Given the Lightning generally like to announce the signings of multiple prospects jointly and the deadline for signings is 5pm tomorrow, expect a press release some time tomorrow announcing Coleman's signing along with Boutin and/or Hrdel.

A quick blurb from the Sunday paper:
[url=http://bolts.tbo.com/lightning/MGBBW98RIBE.html]Jay Feaster intends to sign three of the team's 2003 draft picks by Thursday[/url]: G Jonathan Boutin, G Gerald Coleman and LW/C Zbynek Hrdel. All would be elligible to re-enter the draft if not signed by that time, although the new CBA will be less favorable economically for prospects if they choose to go that route.
Speaking about the goaltending prospect situation earlier this season, Feaster had hinted only one of the prospects might sign. But Boutin and Coleman both showed the ability to dominate their respective junior leagues at times last season and with the Lightning becoming part owners of the Johnstown Chiefs of the ECHL there should be plenty of room for new arrivals.

Lightning prospect Alexei Glukhov, who was selected in the 9th round (286th overall) of the 2002 entry draft [url=http://www.echl.com/cgi-bin/mpublic.cgi?action=show_news&cat=1&id=3665]has signed with the Victoria Salmon Kings of the ECHL[/url]
The 20 year old Glukhov has spent much of the past two seasons with Khimik of the Russian Superleague notching 0 points and 16 penalty minutes in 38 games. The 6'3" 176 lb RW/C made his ECHL debut last night going scoreless in Victoria's 3-2 loss to Las Vegas. The Salmon Kings will be back in action tonight at 10pm ET against Long Beach.